burton--1001-nights--sample

Nil is the Nile of Misraim by thy boons * Who makest misery smile
with fingers five.
Then I wrote in the Suls character: —
There be no writer who from Death shall fleet, * But what his hand
hath writ men shall repeat:
Write, therefore, naught save what shall serve thee when * Thou see’t
on Judgment-Day an so thou see’t!
Then I wrote in the character Naskh: —
When to sore parting Fate our love shall doom, * To distant life by
Destiny decreed,
We cause the inkhorn’s lips to ’plain our pains, * And tongue our
utterance with the talking reed.
And I wrote in the Túmár character: —
Kingdom with none endures; if thou deny * This truth, where be the
Kings of earlier earth?
Set trees of goodliness while rule endures, * And when thou art fallen
they shall tell thy worth.
And I wrote in the character Muhakkak: —
When oped the inkhorn of thy wealth and fame * Take ink of generous
heart and gracious hand;
Write brave and noble deeds while write thou can * And win thee
praise from point of pen and brand.
Then I gave the scroll to the officials and, after we all had written our
line, they carried it before the King. When he saw the paper no writing
180